Christ Hospital in Jersey City will lay off 60 employees, cut salaries

Peter Kelly, Christ Hospital president and CEOChrist Hospital in Jersey City plans to lay off at least
60 employees starting next week, president and CEO Peter
Kelly said yesterday.

Kelly said the layoffs are a direct result of a projected
shortfall in admissions that is expected to result in a
revenue loss of $12 million to $14 million by the end of the
year.

Kelly said he is confident the cost-cutting measures,
which he said include 8 to 10 percent salary cuts for
administrators, will be enough to make up for the projected
shortfall.

"We're just trying to stay ahead of this
economic climate," Kelly said.

Non-union workers at the hospital will lose the 2 percent
raise they were given at the start of the year, said Kelly,
who added that the move will save 30 to 40 jobs. Through
layoffs and attrition, the hospital expects to shed 100
full-time positions.

"It's terrible news, but in these rough economic
times, things like this happen," said one employee
outside the hospital who did not want to be identified
yesterday. "I'm scared - 60 people will lose their
jobs. I can only hope its not me."

Kelly said the layoffs would be spread throughout the
hospital and that no one department would be harder hit than
others.

Kelly, who said he earns $585,000 a year, added that he is
taking a 10 percent pay cut and salaries for the vice
presidents are being cut by 8 percent. Kelly added that one
vice president position will be eliminated.

"I took the largest pay cut because as CEO I believe
I should give up the most," Kelly said. "It
wouldn't matter if I was making $1 or $20, it's my
duty to take the largest cut."

The 12 highest paid employees at the hospital earned a
total of nearly $3.8 million in 2008, the latest figures
released by the hospital. Two vice presidents, George Popko
and Anthony Antonacci, earned more than $470,000 each that
year.

In December, Christ Hospital was given $7 million in
stabilization funds by the state.

"The most amazing thing is how united all of the
workers are in fighting for the hospital," said Paula
Nevoso, vice president of marketing. "In the first town
hall meeting, one of the workers stood up and asked,
'What if we took an extra 1 percent cut, how many more
jobs could we save?'"